Welcome back, everyone, and thanks for tuning in to episode four of The HOG-POD. We have an absolute belter for you this month and it’s one that we’ve been really looking forward to as we take a closer, closer look at one of the latest Harley-Davidson family editions, the Pan America. Gerard and I are joined this time by two very special guests, each of which will shed a different light, different perspectives on this machine, where it fits into the world of Harley owners and how it’s been received by the already established adventure bike community. I want to give a huge thanks to everyone at Belfast Harley-Davidson, who provided their bike and their time to make this episode possible.
Our first guest is John Hill, from the Sherwood H.O.G Chapter, a lifelong motorcyclist who switched to Harley-Davidson from the likes of the BMW, Royal Enfield and Honda Goldwing. For the last 30 years he has been enjoying Harley-Davidson and is now the owner of a Pan America, as well as an H-D Ultra, and is also one of the organisers of the very successful Pan America Weekender held in the Peak District in the Summer of 2022. John shares with us his love for the machine through the eyes of a Chapter member and from the view point of an adventure motorcyclist.
Our second guest is Graham Brannigan, a predominantly off-road motorcyclist but also a race track rider, road biker and moto-cross rider. He currently rides a KTM and until now, had never even thrown his leg over a Harley-Davidson. He isn’t anti-Harley, he has just never been interested in the brand, nor has there ever been a Harley-Davidson machine that nudged his interest. He has previously owned and ridden the likes of BMW, KTM, Tenere, and Africa Twin but not the new Pan America. I knew his view would bring an alternative angle to the show, drawing on his vast experience of other bikes but without the fanatic love for Harley-Davidson. I managed to convince him to join me for the afternoon and test ride the Pan America and let us compare it side by side to his KTM. It was about 10 days later that we sat down to record the session for this months podcast and I purposely didn’t want to know what his thoughts were, as I wanted to hear them for the first time as we recorded.
Two guests, two backgrounds in motorcycling and two very differing views on Harley-Davidson…but what about the Pan America, how did it stack up and compare? Did the Pan Am impress, or is it still far too early to tell. Could Graham get past the ‘baggage’ that comes with it ‘being a Harley’, or did he see something of a future for the bike.
Take a listen and see what they thought.
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